🌸 Phacelia (Bee's Friend / Purple Tansy)
Phacelia tanacetifolia
flowers
annual
Boraginaceae
☀️ Sun
full sun
💧 Water
low to moderate (very drought-tolerant)
🗺️ Zones
[2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]
🧪 Soil pH
5.5-8.5
🪴 Soil Type
well-drained, tolerates poor/sandy soil
📏 Spacing
6-10 inches
📐 Height
1-3 feet
⏱️ Maturity
40-50 days to flower
Key:🤝 Grows well together❌ Keep apart☀️ Sun needs💧 Water🗺️ Hardiness zone
🤝 Companions (6)
Massive pollinator attraction increases strawberry fruit set and size dramatically
Parasitic wasps attracted by phacelia control hornworms and stink bugs
General pollinator magnet; increases bean flower fertilization rates
Hoverfly and parasitic wasp attraction controls cabbage worms and aphids
Hoverflies from phacelia devour aphids on peppers
Attracts squash bee (Peponapis) , a specialist squash pollinator that boosts yield
⚠️ Keep Apart (0)
No known enemies listed.
📝 Growing Notes
THE ultimate pollinator plant , ranked #1 bee-attractant by multiple studies. Lavender-blue curled blooms attract bees, hoverflies, and parasitic wasps in extraordinary numbers. Excellent as green manure/cover crop , fast-growing, dense weed suppression, massive biomass. Self-seeds.
🛒 Buy Seeds & Plants
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Botanical Interests
True Leaf Market
Burpee
Territorial Seed Company
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